An Ember in the Dark
by Emily0130
Summary: Emberkit and Nightkit live happily in ThunderClan. But not for long. Emberkit begins to realize he has powers. Ones that no one ever imagined; he can kill Dark Forest warriors without being harmed in the process. But as he grows older he realizes that those he love are slowly beginning to die. Can he do something about this or is he just a curse? Rated T for violence.
1. Prologue and Allegiances

**Hey people, this story takes place in the old territory not long after SkyClan left. I don't know why I decided to do this, but the idea just popped into my head, so I hope you like it!**

**PROLOGUE AND ALLEGIANCES**

**^..^**

ALLEGIANCES

ThunderClan

LEADER: Hawkstar- dark brown tabby tom with a white belly

DEPUTY: Crowfoot- black tom with yellow eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Mistypool- light gray she-cat with white paws

WARRIORS

Fernstripe- dark brown she-cat with green eyes

Hollowbranch- thin ginger tom with white splotches

Breezeclaw- dark gray tabby tom

Maplefur- small brown she-cat APPRENTICE: Russetpaw- dark gray tabby tom

Whitegorse- large white tom

Rowanstripe- pale brown tabby tom with bright green eyes

Fawnshade- small brown tabby she-cat

Redstripe ginger tom with yellow eyes APPRENTICE: Hailpaw- beige tabby tom

Birdstorm- white tabby she-cat with gray patches

Blacktail- all black tom with blue eyes

QUEENS

Hazelfur- brown she-cat with green eyes (expecting Rowanstripe's kits)

Brackendust- white she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Emberkit- ginger tom with white patches, and Nightkit- black tom with white paws (Hawkstar's kits)

ELDERS

Nettleclaw- old dark gray tom with farsightedness

Hailfrost- frail she-cat white she-cat

^..^

Shadowclan

LEADER: Snakestar- brown tabby tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY: Sootstripe

MEDICINE CAT: Brightcloud

WARRIORS

Mottlehawk- large gray tom with mottled fur

Fallowberry- beige pelted she-cat with yellow eyes

Smokefoot- dark gray tabby tom

Dawnstorm- large dark brown tabby tom

Foxfur- sneaky ginger tom

Rattail- dark gray mottled tom APPRENTICE: Marshpaw- dark brown tabby tom

Silverfall- silver she-cat

Graywind- dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

Grassthorn- pale brown tom APPRENTICE: Gorsepaw- orange tabby tom

QUEENS

Sweetcloud- white she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Frostkit- grayish blue she-cat, and Heronkit- pale brown she-cat (Graywind's kits)

Berrytail- brown tabby she-cat. Expecting Mottlehawk's kits

ELDERS

Curlfur- gray tom with curly fur

^..^

RiverClan

LEADER: Splashstar- orange tabby she-cat with white paws

DEPUTY: Perchheart- tawny tom with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Goosewing- old gray tom

^..^

WindClan

LEADER: Cinderstar- silver tabby tom

DEPUTY: Copperfish- golden she-cat with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Heatherbreeze- beige tom with blue eyes

^..^

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

Flick- small gray kitty-pet

Jinx- all black tom

Pepsi- brown tabby kittypet

^..^

The swirling creek flowed over smooth river stones and hollowed out a gorge. The wind kicked up leaves as it pasted through the peaceful forest and the night sky was damp and filled with fog, as the moon tried to shine through the clouds. The creek winded downward, and swirled into a shallow pool before plunging away into darkness.

A small tabby she-cat trotted cautiously across the forest using the creek as her guide. She grabbed tightly to the bundle of kits mewing for their mother. She heard a twig snap behind her and arched her back.

"Who's there?" She hissed preparing to run. Suddenly, hundreds of angry eyes flashed open from the bushes and glared at her. The she-cat gasped and began to run through the forest as the cats chased after her. She darted behind a large boulder as the crowd of cats approached her.

She dug her paws deep into the soil and clawed at the earth. The small hole became deeper as the cats approached. She threw the kits into the hole and covered it with small branch.

"Stay safe my little ones," she purred before grabbing a bundle of leaves and putting them in her mouth.

"There she is!" One of the cats hissed.

"Get the kits!" Another one hissed running towards the she-cat.

The small tabby ran swiftly through the forest, still holding the bundle of leaves.

"Get the kits! They're right there in her mouth!" a dark gray tabby that seemed to be the leader, leaped on her.

She clawed at the large tom, but she was no match for his strength.

"Give them to me!" He hissed.

"If you want them," she rasped. "Go and get them!" She hissed before jerking her head and throwing the pile of leaves across the clearing. They rumbled down a small hill out of her sight.

"Go get them," the gray tom hissed to another tom. The ginger tom bounded down the hill to fetch what he thought was the kits.

"And now for you," the gray tom hissed as he lashed his claws across the she-cats face. She struggled to get up but was lashed in the face again. Her vision turned blurry and she stumbled onto the ground.

She felt herself fading away from the world but briefly heard the ginger tom bound back up the hill.

"She lied!" He hissed. "It is just a bundle of leaves!"

The gray tom strutted up to her and lashed her in the neck this time.

"Where are they?" The tom hissed. But it was too late. _At least I got to save my kits._ She thought as her eyes clouded up.

"Where are they?" He hissed again, but she was already gone.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey warrior fans, I got my newest fan-fic here and this is actually chapter one, and the one before it was the prologue. Hope you like!**

"Wake up!" A voice hissed into Emberkit's ears. He moaned and curled his little paws up against his face in defiance of the sunlight.

"Come on! Lets go play Moss Ball!" Nightkit hissed at him.

"Not today you're not," Brackendust purred at the two kits.

"What?" Nightkit yowled as Brackendust licked his pelt clean.

"You're becoming apprentices today!" She purred licking the toms fur.

"Really?!" They mewed in excitement.

"Yes, now come here so I can make you look slightly presentable," she grumbled.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Rock for a Clan Meeting!" Hawkstar's voice boomed through the clearing.

"Come on!" Emberkit said as he bounded towards the High Rock.

"Emberkit and Nightkit have reached six moons," Hawkstar said after the crowd of cats calmed down.

"Emberkit please step forward," Hawkstar purred. Emberkit padded up to his father with trembling legs.

"I sense your bravery and loyalty, and for that your mentor will be Whitegorse." Hawkstar mewed as a very surprised white tom stepped up._ Whitegorse!_ Emberkit thought as the large tom pressed his nose against his own.

"From this moment on you will be known as Emberpaw," His father said happily.

"Emberpaw! Emberpaw! Emberpaw!" The clan cheered. Emberpaw and Whitegorse had a seat with the other warriors.

"Nightkit please step forward," Hawkstar said after the clan had gotten done congratulating Emberpaw.

"ThunderClan honors your honesty and justice," Hawkstar purred. "And for that, Fernstripe will be your mentor," Nightkit padded up to meet Fernstripe.

"From this moment on you will be known as Nightpaw,"

"Nightpaw! Nightpaw! Nightpaw!" The clan cheered as Nightpaw and Fernstripe sat down to the other warriors.

"So what are we going to do first?" Emberpaw asked Whitegorse.

"First your going to see the whole territory," Whitegorse said.

"And if we have time at the end, we can learn a little bit of hunting skills," Whitegorse purred.

"Oh, actually you have to settle your nest into the apprentices' den first," Whitegorse argued.

"Okay, I'll go get some moss!" Emberpaw said excited to start training.

Emberpaw began to pad down his moss into a nest. A brown tabby tom a few moons older than Emberpaw walked into the den.

"Welcome," the tom said. "Emberpaw, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, whats your name?"

"I'm Russetpaw," The tabby said. "Hailpaw will be back from a hunting patrol soon, and he'll went to meet you guys,"

"He will?" Nightpaw asked.

"Yeah, but he can be bossy some times, so just don't put your nest next to him,"

"Sure," Emberpaw mewed trying to think about Hailpaw.

"Alright, so are you guys done setting up your nests?" Fernstripe interrupted them.

"Yep," Nightpaw responded.

Whitegorse walked in and swiftly licked his tuft.

"Ready?" He asked.

"You bet!" Emberpaw said excitedly.

"Well come on then!" Whitegorse purred bounding into the forest.

The two cats walked for a while before they reached the Sandy Hollow. It was a shallow ditch filled with sand and dying leaves.

"This is where you'll come for battle training," Whitegorse interrupted the peacefulness of the forest.

Emberpaw got a good look at the place before he bounded off to follow his mentor.

"This is the creek," he said stepping his paw into the cold water.

"Even in green-leaf it's cold," Whitegorse shivered. "You will be asked to come here often, to soak up moss for the elders and queens," the tom said taking his foot out of the shallow water and shaking it off.

They trekked through the forest even longer before they came to a large pile of rocks.

"These are the Sunning Rocks," Whitegorse padded onto one of the rocks and began to search between the cracks.

"What are you doing?" He asked his leader.

"Fresh kill hides between the cracks" he said reaching his hand in. "If your lucky enough you'll get something," he grunted reaching his hand further into the crack.

He reached his hand out a moment later with a small gray mouse.

"But be careful, RiverClan is always trying to steel the Sunning Rocks from us," he said burying the mouse in the dirt.

The day went on like this until sun high. Whitegorse would show Emberpaw a part of their territory, and he would ask questions. Whitegorse was very informative.

^..^

Emberpaw yawned as he stepped into his nest.

"Who are you?" A voice hissed at him. Emberpaw opened one of his eyes.

"I'm Emberpaw," said groggily. "You must be Hailpaw," he said to the beige tom.

"Yes I am," the tom hissed.

"Nice to meet you," was all Emberpaw said before dosing off to sleep.

Emberpaw woke in a dark clearing scattered with bones. He lifted his head and blinked to adjust to the darkness. Fog drifted all. Around him. He quickly got up and stretched his limbs. He heard the faint echo of yowling cats, and arched his back.

"W-who's there?" He asked.

_Am I dreaming?_ He thought. He must have been. He fell asleep in his den and woke up in this horrible place.

He had heard elders describe that StarClan can visit you in your dreams, but this was not how they described StarClan.

"Emberpaw, we've been waiting for your arrival," a deep voice echoed through the clearing.

"Who are you? Show your self!" He hissed.

"Oh, Emberpaw," the tom hissed. "You cant protect yourself from me, you haven't even learned basic battle training." The tom yowled.

"Show yourself!" He hissed one more time.

"Wow!" The tom suddenly appeared right in front of him.

"I'm surprised you had that kind of nerve!" The tom said with a hint of humor.

"Who are you?" Emberpaw hissed.

"That is no way to treat your ancestors!" He laughed.

"Ancestor?" He asked.

"Well, yeah, I mean yeah, not in the blood sense, but in the second cousin sense,"

"What?"

"Oh my StarClan, we are not related!" He hissed. "Does that make it easier?"

"Well, what do you want?"

"I want you do join with me," he mewed licking his brown pelt.

"Bu you still never answered me," Emberpaw argued. "Where am I?" He said.

"You just don't get it do you?" He mewed. "Most apprentices would kill to be in your spot,"

"They would've said yes to me in a heart beat," he growled picking flesh off of a small bone.

"Want some?" The tabby tom asked"

"No thanks," Emberpaw flinched at the rotting bones on the floor.

"But is this StarClan?" Emberpaw asked very confused at the whole situation.

"No," the tom sighed. "I'm being honest with you, this is not StarClan," he said putting down the bone in his mouth.

"Then w-where is it?" Emberpaw said thinking he already knew the answer.

"This is the Dark Forest," the tom answered.

Emberpaw stood on his haunches and leaped at the tom. He tom tried to fight back but he couldn't.

"H-how are you doing that?" The tom wheezed. Emberpaw didn't answer. He didn't know how he was doing it either.

"I will never join with you!" He hissed and lashed the tom's throat. Blood seeped from his neck as his body went into a series of spasms. Finally, his body went limp, as blood pooled around his neck. _I just killed him. _He thought to himself.

Suddenly, the world faded around him, and the scraps of bones flew towards his face. The world faded away into the wind.

Emberpaw woke with a jolt. He was in a cold sweat.

"Hey Emberpaw are you okay?"


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey warrior fans, thanks for reviewing and I did notice I made a mistake in chapter one where I put "He reached his hand in," and I didn't realize that cats don't have hands. Thank you to Willowsmoke of Shadowclan for pointing that out. Hope you like today's chapter!**

Emberpaw looked around himself at his brother staring at him.

"You were clawing at the ground and everything," Nightpaw laughed.

"Heh, I guess," he said trying to calm down.

"So what was it?" Nightpaw asked settled back into his nest.

"What was what?"

"What happened in your dream?" Nightpaw repeated.

"I was, just chasing a rabbit," Emberpaw lied.

"Some rabbit," Nightpaw mumbled.

"Alright everyone! Training time!" Whitegorse yowled into the den.

"Yes!" Nightpaw exclaimed climbing out of his nest.

"Fernstripe will back from a patrol not long from now," Whitegorse mewed. "Until then, you'll train with Emberpaw and I," he said to Nighpaw.

"Okay," Nightpaw agreed following Whitegorse out of the camp.

"So what will we learn today?" Emberpaw asked his mentor.

"Basic hunting skills and technics." Whitegorse sad trotting into the Sandy Hollow.

"So the first skill you will need is to have the wind moving in your direction," Whitegorse explained.

"This is a skill for hunting rabbits, since they will smell you before they hear you," he explained again.

"So, are we going to hunt a rabbit?" Nightpaw asked sniffing the air for fresh-kill.

"Yes, but after we hunt something easier," the white tom mewed.

"Like what?" Emberpaw asked.

"Voles and mice,"

"So how do you hunt those?" Nightpaw mewed.

"Put all your weight into your haunches, so your paws will have no impact on the forest floor," Whitegorse instructed, while searching through the undergrowth.

"Now, both of you have smelt a mouse before, and know how to recognize it," Whitegorse said.

"Sorry I was an a hunting patrol," Fernstripe interrupted.

"I only went over the basics," Whitehorse mewed.

"Sounds good," Fernstripe purred leading Nightpaw away from the Sandy Hollow.

"So follow your nose," Whitegorse continued.

"What do you smell?" His mentor interrupted.

"Mouse," Emberpaw answered obediently.

"Good, now remember what I told you," Whitegorse said fading away from him.

Emberpaw squared his haunches, and made himself as light as possible on his front paws. The small white mouse sniffed the air as leaves fell in the clearing.

Emberpaw prepared to attack and launched at the mouse. He grabbed it with his claws and sank his teeth into his throat.

"Nice job!" Whitegorse complemented.

"Thanks," Emberpaw sad shyly.

"Now let's try again with a different animal," Whitegorse explained.

The day went on with more hunting and border patrols until sun-down. Emberpaw was exhausted. Bit he couldn't sleep. He kept thinking of the Dark Forest warrior he killed. Was it real? Or just a crazy hoax? Emberpaw knew it definitely felt got to his feet and scratched his ear with his back-leg before trotting out of the den.

"Where are you going?" A voice hissed.

"To see Mistypool," Emberpaw turned to see Hailpaw behind him.

"Why?" The tom asked.

"Because, I've got a belly-ache, what's it to you?" Emberpaw said to the older tom.

"It's my job to make sure you're not a traitor," Hailpaw hissed.

"And why would I be a traitor?"

"You might not," the gray tom growled. "But you can't be too carfful," Hailpaw said walking into his den.

Emberpaw shrugged and continued to the medicine cat's den. He didn't really have a belly ache, he wanted to talk to Mistypool about his dream. Emberpaw strutted into the den and wash fluffed with the smell of fresh herbs.

"Emberpaw, can I help you?" The medicine cat mewed.

"Yes, actually I wanted to talk to you about a dream I had last night," Emberpaw asked shyly.

"Okay, so what was it about?" Mistypool mewed placing her fresh burdock roots on the floor.

"Well, I'm not sure if it was just a dream, or it actually meant something," he continued. "But I dreamt I killed a Dark Forest warrior," Emberpaw said afraid of what the she-cat would say.

"So, you were in the Dark Forest, and you killed one of their warriors?" Mistypool asked baffled.

"Well, yes" Emberpaw answered. After that, he went into full depth of his dream. Everything from arriving in the horrid Forest, to slaughtering the warrior without a minute of training.

"This tom," Mistypool began. "Did he have a name?"

"No, he didn't say his name,"

"And he wanted you to join with him?"

"Yes, but I told him no," Emberpaw mewed.

"I don't see much of a problem in this, but if it happens again, tell me," Mistypool concluded before turning back to her work with herbs. Emberpaw bowed his head respectfully, and went back to apprentices' den. He finally lulled himself to sleep, and once again appeared in the musty forest. Emberpaw prepared himself for an attack, as he knew the Dark Forest warriors would come.

"Show yourself!" He hissed as his hair stood up on his neck.

"Oh Emberpaw," a voice mewed. "It's so cute when Forest cats try to defend themselves,"

"Where are you?" He hissed again spinning around to find the mysterious cat.

"I killed your friend, I can kill you too!" He growled.

A cat appeared in front of him. This time, it was a black tom with a white belly.

"Its like a mouse squealing beneath the paws of a lion," the tom mewed impressed with himself.

"What?"

"When you clan cats try to defend yourselves," he hissed. "You bore me, you no sense of poetry, you know that?" He laughed.

"What I want to know, is how you killed my colleague, last night," the tom sat licking his flank.

"I-I don't know," Emberpaw answered truthfully.

"Really? But I do know." he hissed. "Because you're lying to me!" He yowled as his voice echoed through the forest.

"I-I'm not I swear!" Emberpaw defended himself.

"Well, maybe my friends will know," he laughed as two other toms, larger than the black one, walked out of the forest.

"Stick 'em boys!" He yowled as the two cats launched at Emberpaw. The first tom, a gray long-limbed tabby, slashed his claws through Emberpaw's pelt with ease. But the small apprentice was quicker, and sank his teeth deep into the gray tom's pelt. For a moment, the tom shuddered with pain, and fell to the ground, beside Emberpaw. The next tom, an orange tabby, lusted himself at Emberpaw's flank. The ginger tom bolted away before the tom could harm him. He slashed at the toms underbelly, and finally bit into his neck.

"Stole my move," The black tom mumbled as he stared at his dead warriors.

"Those were my best warriors, and you killed them before we could give you bail!" He hissed clearly terrified of the apprentice. The tom vanished into thin air, and so did the forest.

Emberpaw woke in a sweat with a long scar down his flank. It wasn't a crazy dream.


	4. Chapter 3

The ginger tom looked around at his surroundings. It was still dawn, and the sun was only a small sliver of light on the horizon.

"Come on, Emberpaw!" Nightpaw hissed at him.

"What?" Emberpaw snapped back to reality.

"We're going on a patrol, dummy!" Nightpaw teased.

"Shut up," Emberpaw replied playfully. The two cats got a piece of fresh kill from the fresh-kill pile, and began to eat their breakfast.

"Come on, boys," Whitegorse mewed as he passed the two toms.

"Coming!" They replied trotting off towards the edge of the camp. The apprentices ran after their mentors as a few other cats joined them for the dawn patrol.

The patrol walked through the brambles, marking their scent especially close to the ShadowClan border.

"Why are we so close to ShadowClan?" Nightpaw asked Fernstripe.

"You tell me," she mewed. "Sniff around a bit," Nightpaw obeyed, and sniffed the ground, wrinkling his nose at an unfamiliar scent.

"Yuck!" He exclaimed. "It smells awful!"

"ShadowClan has been close to our borders lately," She explained.

The cats marked their borders, and left for the Sunning Rocks. There was no scent of RiverClan near them. ThunderClan had recently won a battle with them, and RiverClan hadn't recovered yet.

"They'll be back," Whitegorse growled as he walked away from the gray stones.

Emberpaw stared across the river, trying to spot RiverClan cats. But he didn't see any.

The patrol went by quickly after that. Emberpaw and Nightpaw were still getting used to the territory, and wandered in circles many times, before their mentors corrected them. When they had finished, Whitegorse made them clean out the elders moss. They did so willingly, but Russetpaw and Hailpaw went on a training session for battle moves, and secretly, Emberpaw was jealous. When they finished, the sun had already took its place at the center of the sky.

"Can I go see Mistypool?" Emberpaw asked Whitegorse.

"Sure, but make it quick," he said. Emberpaw nodded and trotted off for Mitypool's den.

"Emberpaw," she greeted him.

"I had the dream again," Emberpaw mewed without even saying hello.

"You did?" She responded frightened. "Was-was it the same as last time?"

"Well, sort of," he said. "It was the same place but with a different cat," he began.

"He was all black, and he had an accent like he was a loner, or a kittypet," he explained.

"I doubt he was a kittypet or a loner, but a rogue, possibly," Mistypool inferred.

"He didn't attack me, but he sent two other warriors to attack me,"

"And, did you kill them?"

"Yes, and the black tom just, disappeared," Emberpaw growled. "Like he was afraid." Mistypool stared at him hard for a few moments.

"You're not makin' this up are you?"

"What? No, I wouldn't do that," he defended himself.

"Okay then," she mumbled. "I think you have a direct connection to the Dark Forest,"

"So why me?"

"Well, maybe because-" she stopped in mid-sentence.

"Because what?"

"Never mind." She meowed. "Before you go to bed tonight, I'm going to join your dream,"

"What? How would you do that?"

"It's very difficult, and only medicine cats can do it, with the right mixture and proportions of herbs," she explained.

"Okay, so what do you want me to do?"

"Well, we'll have to travel to the High Stones,"

"Okay, and then what?"

"Then, I will give you a certaint poultice to eat, and hopefully we can both be inside the dream," she mewed giving her tail a swift lick.

"But, I don't understand, how can we both be together in a dream?"

"It's extremely complex, but StarClan does allow it,"

"So, do we leave now?" Emberpaw asked.

"Yes," Mistypool mewed searching the den for a mixture of herbs. "Eat this," she ordered. Emberpaw did so, but the herbs had an awful taste.

"What was that for?" He mewed gulping down the last bite.

"To keep you from getting hungry, the High Stones is farther away than you would think," she added munchung down her bit of leaves.

"Now, we have to find the right herbs for the poultice," Mistypool mewed walking out of the den.

"Go tell Whitegorse, that I am traveling to the High Stones with you,"

"But he won't understand, it's not a half-moon," Emberpaw objected.

"Tell him it's urgent that I speak with StarClan, and you will be my gaurd I case ShadowClan tries anything suspicious," Mistypool explained.

Emberpaw nodded and ran off to tell Whitegorse.

"Whitegorse, I'm going to the High Stones with Mistypool, to act as her guide," Emberpaw explained to the white tom.

"Okay, but stay close to her, and be especially careful near ShadowClan," he mumbled. "They've been too close to our borders lately,"

Emberpaw nodded as he ran back to Mistypool's den.

"Mistypool?" He called for her but she wasn't there.

"Come on, let's go," the she-cat suddenly appeared behind him. Emberpaw followed her put of camp, as she moved rather fast.

The two cats didn't cross the Thunder Path, until the were almost in WindClan territory. By now, the sun was fading down into the Sun-Drown place.

"Okay, after this one passes…" Mistypool yowled as a large two-leg rumbled by. "Now!" She hissed as they darted across the stone. The safely reached the other side, just in time for the monster to roar past the Thunder Path.

"Okay, hard parts over," she mumbled as they walked towards the High-Stones. They entered a small tunnel, that must have led to the Moon Stone. They cautiously stepped on the smooth stones that acted as their guide in the darkness. Finally, they reached a light that blinded out the darkness. The light came from a glowing stone- the Moon Stone. It was almost a shade of light blue.

"Okay, eat this," Mistypool ordered. Emberpaw wolfed down the mashed up herbs, which tasted awful, just like the first herbs. Mistypool ate too, and they laid up against the stone, as sleep found them.

Emberpaw took a large breath as if he had just peeked his head above the surface of water. But instead, he woke in the same musty clearing as last night.

"Mistypool?" He cried out. Maybe it didn't work. He sniffed the air for her scent and found it quickly. She lie asleep across the clearing.

"Mistypool, wake up!" He hissed. The she-cat woke up startled, and stared wild-eyed at Emberpaw.

"Emberpaw?" She mewed surprised. "Where are we, how did we get here?" She asked baffled.

"It's okay, Mistypool, this is a dream remember? We're in the Dark Forest."

"W- how are we here?"

"Remember, we took a trip to the High Stones?"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't remember," she apologized. "Its okay," Emberpaw mewed.

"So, what now?" Emberpaw asked. "I hoped you would know," Mistypool mewed worriedly. suddenly, the black cat appeared again, this time with two of his companions.

"Emberpaw," he growled "Its nice we meet again," he said walking over to Mistypool.

"Amd who is this lovely young thing, she must be Mistypool!" He said impressed with himself.

"Bite me." She hissed.

"Well that's one I've never heard before," he laughed. "I might just have to try," he whispered in her ear.

"Now," he turned back to Emberpaw. "Tell me Emberpaw, how did you defeat my warriors yesterday, huh?" He hissed.

"I-I'll tell you of you let me know some things," he bargained the black tom.

"Oh, do tell," the tom hissed. "You tell me first," Emberpaw growled. "Or no deal,"

"Fine," he grumbled. "My name is Mayer, and yes I was a kittypet, for quit some time, but I left them, for a the fame and glory you see around you," he hissed.

"And, to explain my strong English accent, it's because it makes me sound awesome."

"Admit it!" He yowled, laughing at his own joke. "And overtime, I sort of just got stuck with it,"

"Anyway, enough about myself, and more about you," Mayer stated.

"You're not getting anything from me," Emberpaw said launching at the two toms that stood beside him. The first one struggled, but quickly fell victim to Emberpaw's teeth as he clenched them between his neck. The second knee as even easier, and was killed with only mere paw swipes.

"I knew I shouldn't have bought those pig heads," Mayer mumbled to himself.

The world started to fade out of Emberpaw's reach.

"Emberpaw." The black tom hissed. "Even if I can't kill you, I can kill your family, and loved ones. Until you have to join with us,"

With that, they both woke up with startled expressions on their faces.

"You are in some dark trouble." Mistypool said with an achy voice.


	5. Chapter 4

**Okay, people I'm back and I'm gonna let you read the story, in just a minute, but I wanna share with you, what someone reviewed, without even logging in:**

**Poppycat360: Your cat knowledge is superb. Here let me tell you SLOWLY: White she-cat brown tom ginger cat and black cat? White she-cat gray tom bluish cat and brown cat? The heredity here is just, stupid. Bet you don't even know what heredity means. How bout genetics? Doubt it. **

**Okay, this wouldn't have bothered me of he/she had phrased it right. Seriously? I know what heredity and genetics are, I'm not three! And, so who cares if my cat pairs don't make sense, like it's supposed to be? You know what else doesn't make sense? StarClan, and the idea of cats being able to talk to each other, and have nine lives. Really? You felt the need to say this? If you didn't like it keep your gob shut! **

Emberpaw stared deep into Mistypool's eyes. She got up and faced him with her whole body trembling.

"What do you mean?" He asked standing up to meet him.

"You have an extraordinary connection with the Dark Forest," she explained. "You-you can visit them, and defeat them with, barely harming yourself."

"So, this is a bad thing, how?" He said after taking in what she had just explained.

"It's, not really a bad thing," Mistypool mewed. "They can't harm you much, but they want you to join with them,"

"Why would they want that?"

"I don't know," she replied. "But they need a direct connection to the outside world."

"But, I can just say no?" He asked turning his head slightly. "Yes, technically you can," she mewed beginning to pace back and forth.

"But, if you do, they can torture your friends and loved ones until you have to say yes,"

^..^

The walk back to ThunderClan was very long, and tiresome a specially because of the downpour of rain. The herbs affects had started to ware off, and they became hungry again. The two didn't speak with each other, and there was awkward silence between them. By the time they reached the camp, what was left of the sun was high up in the sky.

"So, how was your trip?" Nightpaw asked him as soon as he got back. "Uh, it was good, yeah, I didn't actually sleep on the Moon Stone, I just sat guard the whole night."

"Hm," Nightpaw shrugged. "Sounds fun," he mewed brushing past his brother to see Fernstripe. Whitegorse padded up to him, and beckoned for him to follow him into the Sandy Hollow. The two apprentices followed their mentors into the forest, lingering a few fox-lengths behind them.

"So, what was it like?" Nightpaw whispered, as the mentors chatted with each other.

"What was what like?" Emberpaw said.

"The Moon Stones of course!" He hissed. "You didn't really go into depth on the details,"

"Well, we trotted down this dark tunnel-like thing for a few tail-lengths, and then we entered this bright cave, which had an enormous glowing stone in it," he continued. "And, then, Mistypool told me to keep watch, and she fell asleep with her head rested against the stone."

"Did she tell you what happened?" Nightpaw asked eagerly. "What? No," Emberpaw replied.

"Did you ask?"

"Of course not she's a medicine cat, I'm suppose to be respectful!" He hissed. Nightpaw shrugged as they caught up to their leader.

"We're going to touch up on hunting skills today, since we havent been bringing in much fresh-kill today," Whitegorse explained, kicking in the sand. The apprentices nodded obediently, though they had wanted to to some battle training. They worked on hunting most of the day, but they were forced to clean the elders den at the end of practice.

The two brothers had settled in their nest, and were sharing tongues when the dusk patrol returned.

"ShadowClan has been scented inside of our borders today," he heard Hollowbranch, a thin ginger tom, say to Hawkstar. "They may be planning an attack considering, how quiet they've been at gatherings lately." Hollowbranch said this silently, but it was just loud enough for him to here.

"Did you here that?" Emberpaw whispered nudging his brother.

"Here what?" He mewed with only one eye open.

"ShadowClan might be planning an attack!"

"Why would they do that?"

"I dunno, maybe they were conspiring with RiverClan?" He suggested.

"Maybe, but it's none of our concern." He said grouchily.

"What are you talking about?! Of course it's our concern!" Emberpaw hissed.

"Hey!" A loud growl sounded through the den. "Be quiet, newcomer," Emberpaw recognized it as Hailpaw. Emberpaw rested his head against his paws and stayed silent. That night, he had a peaceful slumber, without being joined by the Dark Forest warriors. He woke the next morning to a clearing filled with fog. It must've been from the rain.

The ginger tom lifted his head above his paws and with a massive yawn, got out of his nest. A loud cry of pain broke through the clearing, and Emberpaw pounded over to the cry's source; the warriors den.

He burst through the entry to see Fawnshade sobbing, crouched over a limp body with blood pooled around the she-cat's neck. Other warriors gathered around and gasped in shock.

"Brackendust!" He hissed running over to his limp mother. "No, no no!" But she was already gone. Soon, Nightpaw came in and his legs collapsed to the floor at the sight of his dead mother. Nightpaw had nothing to say. His eyes clotted with a fresh coat of tears as he nosed his mother's fur. The grieving apprentices, sat in silence, as the mourned. A few moments later, Hawkstar came in, and had the same reaction that Nightpaw had. The three did nothing but sit next to their dead family member. Not one of them got up to ask how she had died, to them, it didn't matter: she was gone and there was nothing they could do about it.


	6. Chapter 5

**What's up guys, I want to congratulate you guys, because you helped reach my record for the most reviews with the littlest chapters! And, I want to tak a moment to recognize TheSwiftWarrior14 for reviewing and telling me to add more detail. And, yes, I know my story doesn't have much detail, so I'll heed your advice, and try to add more details, since I rushed through the last chapter. **

Emberpaw sat the rest of the night next to his mother's limp body. Hawkstar and Nightpaw did the same. None of the warriors bothered them, for none of them knew her cause of death. All they knew, was that someone killed her. Someone did this on purpose.

"We should burry her." Hawkstar said getting up for the first time since he had seen her dead. Emberpaw did nothing but nod his head slightly. This cat was there for him his whole life, and now she was gone. watched her burial, for he was to shaken with shock to help. He sat vigil with her, and made himself a promise that night._ I will find your killer. And they will die. shredded into a million pieces, and rot in the Dark Forest. I will avenge your death. I promise._

The next moon was awful. He had gotten little training done, and Nightpaw had caught White cough.

"Here," Nighaq came up to him and placed a few flowers next to him. "Eat these, Mistypool gave them to me, it chamomile, it while help with the stress." Emberpaw ate the them, but he didn't think that they would help.

"You okay?" he asked him. "I'm fine," he responded after finishing the small flowers.

"I can see right through you, its fox-dung," he said. "Sure, maybe it is but our mother is dead!" He hissed. Nightpaw ruffled his fur up, and stepped away from his brother. Emberpaw was sorry he yelled at his brother, but he was upset. That night, he made the same promise that he made his mother when she died; he would avenge her made this promise every night.

Emberpaw woke in the clearing of the Dark Forest.

"Oh come on," he mumbled. Suddenly, the black tom, Mayer appeared again.

"What do you want?!" He hissed. "Emberpaw, your personality, never ceases to amuse me," he said.

"What are you talking about?"

"You just don't get any of my references, being a clan cat," he hissed. "Well, I am so sorry I haven't visited since the Moon Stones, I just wanted to give you some time." He smirked.

"I'm sorry about your mum by the way," He walked up to him. "It's a shame, she never got to tell you the truth," he mumbled.

"What truth?"

"Oh nothing, important," Mayer stepped on a scampering mouse, who's bones crushed under his massive muscles.

"It's very hard to hunt here in the Dark Forest," Mayer picked up the mouse by its tail. "We have feelings to you know,"

"Anyway, I know who killed your mum," he said dropping the dead mouse. "Who was it?" He asked.

"I'll tell you," he paused. "If, you join with me."

"No, no way." Emberpaw said backing away from the tom. "Alright then, good luck finding your mum's killer." Mayer shifted his paws, and the Dark Forest floated away, into blackness. Emberpaw woke to see he was back in the normal world. It was already dawn, and Emberpaw felt he didn't get a minute of sleep with Mayer watching over him. How did he know who killed his mother?

The day dragged on. Mistypool gave him some more herbs, but he didn't eat them. They hadn't helped. They went on a hunting patrol, and after that something happened that cheered him up.

"We're going to start battle training today!" Nightpaw ran up to him excitedly.

"Really?!" Emberpaw squealed like a kit. "Well, come on let's go!"

^..^

"Nightpaw use your legs more," Fernstripe ordered. The black tom nodded and turned to face his opponent, Hailpaw. Hailpaw snarled, and leapt at Nightpaw with great force. He battered Nightpaw across the face, with his claws unsheathed.

"Hey!" Emberpaw hissed and ran up to Hailpaw. "Leave my brother alone!" Hailpaw looked up calmly. Nightpaw's head was bleeding badly.

"Hey!" Redstripe, Hailpaw's mentor came up to them. "Hailpaw, your claws should be sheathed!" He hissed.

"Sorry," he rolled his eyes.

"No, your not sorry," Redstripe retorted. "You will clean the elders den for two weeks."

"What?" He hissed.

"Don't make it three," Redstripe threatened. "Now take Nightpaw to see Mistypool." Hailpaw stared at his mentor.

"Now." He hissed and the apprentices ran off. "Emberpaw, you can work with Russetpaw for this one." Whitegorse mewed. "And keep your claws sheathed." Whitegorse emphasized the 'sheathed'. Emberpaw nodded and stepped up for practice with Russetpaw. The two apprentices looked at each other playfully, and pounced.

"Good job Emberpaw, just remember to keep your balance." Whitegorse remarked.

"And Russetpaw," he began. "Stretch out your paws more, okay?" Russetpaw nodded.

After training, they returned to the camp very weary.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!" Hawkstar hissed. The clan slowly gathered around the High Rock with hushed whispered going about.

"Graykit, Shredkit, and Tinykit have become six moons old," He began.

"Graykit please step forward," he ordered the gray tom. "From this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Graypaw." The gray son-to-be apprentice shook with excitement.

"Your mentor will be Hollowbranch." He stated as the larger ginger tom stepped up.

"Shredkit, please step forward." The brown tabby tom ran up to the center of the clearing.

"From this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Shredpaw."

"Your mentor will be Breezeclaw," the shabby tom stepped forward to see the rowdy kit. The two touched noses and took a seat next to Graypaw and Hollowbranch.

"Tinykit, please step forward." Hawkstar mewed. A small white she-kit with gray patches stepped up shyly.

"From this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Tinypaw."

"Your mentor will be Fawnshade." He announced.

"Graypaw! Shredpaw! Tinypaw!" The Clan cheered. Fawnshade, Hollowbranch, and Breezeclaw nudged their apprentices towards their den.

"Emberpaw, show these apprentices around, and help them with their nest," Whitegorse ordered. Emberpaw nodded and walked up to the apprentices.

"So, this is the apprentices' den," he said showing them the bramble enclosed den. "You'll start training tomorrow, but for now, I'll help you out with your nest." The apprentices followed Emberpaw to a mossy area just outside the dirt tunnel.

"Thanks, Emberpaw," Tinypaw said shyly. "No problem." He answered. Shredpaw, and Graypaw set up their nests near Hailpaw, but Tinypaw put her's next to Emberpaw's. He figured she was afraid of Hailpaw. They were a bit frightening. But Tinypaw wasn't frightened by Emberpaw. And Emberpaw liked it.


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey people, thanks for reviewing, I just wanna let you know, I met not be updating my other story 'The Reign of Darkness' 'cause I have writers block. :(**

Emberpaw blinked in confusion, as he stood up in the apprentices' den. He felt very light-headed, and remembered his training session that day.

"Nightpaw, wake up!" He hissed at his brother. Nightpaw shrugged and growled at him.

"Come on we're going to the Snake Rocks for battle training!" With that, Nightpaw jumped up excitedly.

"Well, come on let's go!"

^..^

At the Snake Rocks, it rained, and it became harder for them to practice, but Whitegorse made them continue.

"Good job Nightpaw, but try to be more balanced, you wouldn't want to slip on the rain water." Whitegorse remarked. The black tom nodded and turned to face Russetpaw, his opponent.

"Emberpaw, I want you and Hailpaw over on the other side of the Snake Rocks," Emberpaw averted his attention towards his mentor, and trotted over to the Snake Rocks.

"Remember, to keep your balance!" Whitegorse hissed.

Hailpaw and Emberpaw both faced each other with snarls. Hailpaw was the first to leap, and Emberpaw leaped back at him. For a moment they were airborne. Then, they came crashing down hard on the rocks. Emberpaw tried to grip the rock, but he slipped, and came tumbling down the boulder. He fell onto the ground, and landed on a thicket of thorns.

"Emberpaw are you okay?" Whitegorse's voice echoed through the clearing.

"Yeah, I-I'm fine, I just think I'm stuck," he commented, looking up through the deep hole he had fallen in.

"Just hold on we'll get you out," Whitegorse mewed. Emberpaw heard the tom moving about. He looked around the hole and saw scattered bones of prey.

Emberpaw stared up the shaft that light flowed through.

"Emberpaw, you'll just have to climb up on your own, and I'll grab your scruff when you get close enough," Whitegorse called through the holes.

"Okay," Emberpaw mewed beginning to climb up the hole. He squeezed his paws into a few notches on the side and began to climb up. He had almost reached the top when he felt his back claws slipping.

"Whitegorse!" He hissed. "Help!" The swift tom grabbed his scruff, and pulled him up through the hole.

"Thanks," he said to his mentor. He looked around to see the whole group of apprentices staring at him. Hailpaw had a smirk on his face. _Did he do this on purpose?_

"Are you injured?" Whitegorse asked breaking the eerie silence.

"No, I just have some scrapes from a clump of thorns down there." He answered.

"All right, rub some dirt on it and get back to training," Whitegorse mewed. Emberpaw nodded and went back to training with Hailpaw.

At the end of practice, Embrrpaw decided to see Mistypool for his scrapes.

"So, how did you get these?" The she-cat asked him fetching a number of herbs.

"Uh, training," he answered flatly. The two cats sat in an uncomfortable silence for a long stretch of time. Emberpaw waited for her to say something about his dreams with the Dark Forest. But instead, she treated his wounds, and sent him out of her den. She was busy stocking up herbs, for Leaf-bare. It was still Leaf-fall, but Mistypool was very cautious. He decided to join a border patrol with Tinypaw, Shredpaw, and Hollowbranch.

The cats circled the perimeter near the Thunderpath, but also went to the Owl Tree. It was sunnier than before, but it was still muddy because of the previous rain a few nights ago.

"Why do you think ShadowClan was scented on our territory?" Emberpaw paw heard Shredpaw squeal to his sister.

"I dunno." She replied, following a few paw steps behind him. "Maybe they were running low on fresh kill?" She suggested. Hollowbranch slowed to a haunt before he reached the ThunderPath. Emberpaw stopped too, for he smelt what Hollowbranch had. Shredpaw, and Tinypaw however, did not. They were arguing loudly, when they realized that their other group members had stopped.

"No, you're a mouse-brain!" Shredpaw hissed obnoxiously. Tinypaw had stopped with Emberpaw and Hollowbranch. Shredpaw continued on saying that she was a mouse-brain, and ShadowClan wouldn't steal fresh-kill from them.

"What?" He asked in the uncomfortable silence.

"You don't smell that?" Emberpaw hissed. Shredpaw opened his mouth and sniffed the air.

"Yuck!" He exclaimed. "What is that?"

"Two-leg rubbish." Hollowbranch exclaimed.

"Two-legs?!" His fur ruffled up.

"Come on," Hollowbranch motioned for the apprentices to follow him. "We don't want any trouble with him." The apprentices nodded and followed their leader. They trotted back slowly, when they heard a loud boom. It was louder than anything Emberpaw had heard, and his ears rang for a while. Hollowbranch and the two smaller apprentices pawed at their ears in defiance of the frightful sound. A few moments later, his hearing returned to him, but he still had no idea what had happened.

"What was that?" Shredpaw hissed. Emberpaw was about to open his mouth to say something, when he saw the two-leg move into sight. He was dressed in the same clothing as the trees, and had a bright orange cap on. In his hands he held a big stick, and a sharper smaller one by his side.

"Run!" Emberpaw hissed. He nudged Hollowbranch, who wasn't moving.

"Hollowbranch!" He shouted. The tom got up, but limped slowly.

"Are you hurt?" he asked the tom.

"I-I dunno." Hollowbranch looked at him for a moment and saw the two-leg approaching. They ran into the shelter of a nearby hollow oak, where Tinypaw and Shredpaw had ran. They peered out of the log, to get a closer glimpse of the two-leg. He walked past them, and and trotted slowly up to a dead deer.

"How did he kill that?" Shredpaw asked. Emberpaw shifted uncomfortably, and found blood soaking his pelt. He looked beside him to see Hollowbrnch bleeding heavily from his flank, and his head drooping down.

"Hollowbranch!"


	8. Chapter 7

**What's up guys, I think I'm gonna give you the question of the day right now, so l****et me know what you think!**

**QOTD: What do you think Emberpaw's warrior name should be?**

Emberpaw starred at the ginger tom bleeding heavily from his pelt. The two-leg was out of sight now, and he had somehow lifted the dead deer and taken it with him.

"Hollowbranch!" He yowled. The tom didn't answer. "Help me carry him," Emberpaw ordered to the smaller apprentices. The stared wild-eyed at him but said nothing.

"Come on, hurry!" He ordered. The apprentices snapped back to reality and helped grab Hollowbranch's scruff.

He was heavy, but Emberpaw was strong and they had reached the camp in a few moments of time.

"Go get Mistypool!" Emberpaw ordered Shredpaw. The tom nodded and ran for Mistypool's den. A few other warriors crowded around him.

"What happened?" Breezeclaw ordered.

"I-I don't know, we were patrolling the border, and a two-leg came-and-and-" he stuttered.

"Where is Mistypool?" Breezeclaw hissed.

"Shredpaw went to get her," he said, his whole body shaking. Mistypool appeared with a number of herbs in her hands.

"Back up!" She ordered. Breezeclaw stepped aside, and the rest of the warriors created a circle around him.

"Emberpaw, what happened?" She said rubbing herbs on his pelt.

"A-a two-leg came, with a big stick," he trembled. "And-it-it shot out rocks, and one of them hit a deer, but it grazed Holowbranch." He growled.

She searched his pelt until she found the hole and pressed cobwebs on them.

"Help me get him to my den." She ordered. Emberpaw grabbed his scruff, and slowly dragged him into the den.

"Emberpaw, give me some air," she hissed. The ginger tom nodded and left her den.

Hawkstar ran from his den and confronted his son.

"What happened? Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, but Hollowbranch is injured." He answered.

"How?"

"He had a stick, and it shot out rocks." Emberpaw swallowed. "And one of them hit Hollowbranch."

"Go back to the apprentices' den and get some rest." Hawkstar ordered.

Tinypaw and Shredpaw were both scared out of their wits. They hoped the two-leg wouldn't come back.

^..^

Emberpaw didn't get a wink of sleep that night. He kept thinking about the two-leg, and most importantly, Hollowbranch. He would never forgive himself if he joined StarClan.

The next morning, it had rained again, like it had the past few mornings. Leaf-bare was coming, and many patrols were being sent out. When Emberpaw found out he wasn't on any of them, he was upset. But he decided to check up on Hollowbranch.

"So, will he live?" Emberpaw asked Mistypool. Hollowbranch wheezed in and out slowly, but he was definitely alive.

"Yes, he should, but his left lung is injured, and he'll have that wheezing for the rest of his life." She answered sadly. The ginger tom had many cobwebs wrapped around his flank, and blood pooled from the center of it.

"Did you have the dream tonight?" She whispered. The ginger tom shook his head.

"Do you think they just stopped?" Emberpaw asked.

"No, proabably not, but if-" Mistypool cut herself off.

"What?"

"It makes sense now," she mumbled. "What?" He asked again.

"The Dark Forest, they can't hurt you, so their going after your loved ones." She looked down sadly.

"That's probably who killed Brackendust…" she went on. Emberpaw steemed with anger he ran from the medicine cat's den and into the apprentices den. Mistypool called him back but he didn't go. He had to see the black tom, Mayer and kill him. But night didn't come so fast. He went on a hunting patrol and a border patrol before sunset, and still had time after eating his fresh-kill. Tinypaw must have noticed his ornery attitude, but she still came to eat with him.

"Are you okay, Emberpaw?" She asked shyly.

"I'm fine," he sighed. "Seriously, I know there's something wrong," she insisted.

"What if you knew the killer of a loved one, and you could find them with ease, but you had to wait a few hours to do it?"

"Emberpaw, why are you telling me this?" She stared at him strangely.

"It's a long story," Emberpaw finished his magpie, and trotted back to the apprentices' den.

^..^

That night, he appeared in the Dark Forest again. Mayer wasn't there yet, and Emberpaw prepared himself for an attack. The sound of leaves rustling was heard, and the black tom appeared before him.

"Finally figured it now have you?" He said in his strange accent. Emberpaw didn't hesitate, and jumped right on him. Mayer was stronger than the others he had killed.

"What did you do to my mother?!" He hissed clawing the tom in the face.

"Well, it wasn't me," Mayer groaned as he tumbled on top of Emberpaw. "but, it was me that gave the order,"

Emberpaw but into his paw, and the tom yowled with pain.

"I got to watch, though." he laughed.

"Is this a joke to you?!" Emberpaw slashed his face again.

"First of all, yes, this is funny. Second of all, it's funny that you wont join me."

Emberpaw bite into his neck, but the tom kicked him off with his powerful hind legs. Mayer pounced on top of him.

"And let me tell you what it was like, when she died," Mayer continued. "She begged for mercy, before my warriors tore her apart, piece by piece."

"Shut up!" Emberpaw hissed.

"Do you know how pig-headed you are? When they assigned me convince you, I thought it would be easy!" He hissed. "But no, now I'm considered an idiot rogue, that can't even convince an apprentice to join with us!"

"Good," Emberpaw slashed at his face.

"You should go," Mayer said.

"Not until you're dead!"

"No, I'm serious, you should." Mayer flashed him back to reality. It was still night and it was peaceful, but something wasn't right. He could smell it.

He got up to his feet, and sniffed the air. Before he could determine who it was, he heard a cry that was way too familiar to him. Something he had heard in an elder's tail.

"ShadowClan, attack!"


	9. Chapter 8

**Aloha everyone! And after the cliffhanger that last chapter was, I'm sure you don't wanna read the author's note, so enjoy!**

Emberpaw shook with fear as the other apprentices jumped up. A white tom entered the den, and launched himself at the other apprentices. Russetpaw clawed back at him, but the tom was stronger. Emberpaw leaped at the warrior and sank his teeth into his back. He through himself back with defiance, and crushed Emberpaw with his massive weight. Emberpaw scampered out from underneath him.

Warrior rushed to and fro. Some fighting, some fleeing, but all in a panic.

"Get to the nursery and elders' den!" Emberpaw yowled at the other apprentices. They dodged the white tom, and darted for the elders' den. Emberpaw ran to the nursery avoiding warriors. A black tom reached the nursery before him, and darted in. Emberpaw caught up to him, and leaped on him. The tom escaped his grasp, and slipped into the nursery.

"Stay away from her!" Emberpaw hissed running towards him, as he swiped Whitestripe, a queen, in the face. His fur fluffed up, and he sank his teeth deep into the tom's neck. He ran off, leaving a mangled mess of Whitestripe.

"Where are your kits?" He asked the white queen. Her fur was matted in blood and she lie limp on the floor. Emberpaw grabbed her carefully by the scruff.

"They're with Hazelfur," she rasped.

"Hazelfur!" He called out. The brown tabby she-cat peeked her head out of her nest, with two kits in her jaws.

"Run to the Fourtrees!" He ordered. Hazelfur nodded, and ran into the forest.

"Mistypool!" He called out for the medicine cat. Emberpaw was strong enough to carry Whitestripe, although she was heavy.

"Nightpaw!" He called out for his brother. He spotted the black tom battling a brown tabby she-cat at the edge of ThunderClan camp.

"Get to the Fourtrees!" Emberpaw hissed, and Nightpaw ran.

"Mistypool!" He called for the medicine cat once again, but she was out of sight.

"Hawkstar!" Emberpaw desperately tried to find his father. He spotted the dark tabby tom battling an amber-eyed tom; Snakestar. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes told him what to do. To lead them to the Fourtrees. He had no time to argue, he had a dying queen in his grasp.

"Where are my kits?" She rasped. "Its okay, they're with Hazelfur," he said dragging the queen across the rugged forest floor.

"Stay here, I'm going to help the others," Emberpaw ordered. He put Whitestripe into a shallow hole, and covered it up with a bracken branch. He ran swiftly back to the camp, where he was confronted by a gray tabby tom. The tom bit into his leg, as Emberpaw yowled. He kicked the tom in the eye, and he fled.

"Tinypaw!" He called out. "Graypaw, Shredpaw!" There was no answer. Emberpaw ran to the camp and found the three apprentices struggling to help the elders.

"Graypaw, lead Nettlepaw to the Fourtrees." He ordered. "Now!" He hissed and the tom went into action.

"Tinypaw, help me with Hailfrost," The ginger tom grabbed Hailfrost by the scruff.

"Shredpaw, protect us, and lead us to the Fourtrees," he started to run, waiting for Tinypaw to catch up.

"Tinypaw, let me hold her, and help Shredpaw guard." Tinypaw nodded and let Emberpaw hold Hailfrost. It was easier since she was light, but they were moving slowly. They reached the spot where Whitestripe was hiding.

"Graypaw, help her out," the gray tom lifted the white-and-black striped she-cat out of the hole. In a matter of minutes, they reached the Fourtrees.

"Hazelfur?" He called out to the she-cat. The brown she-cat moved into viewpoint.

"Help me with these cats," he ordered. "I'm going back the the camp to help, stay out of sight." Emberpaw ran back to camp. He was exhausted, but he pushed himself to the limit.

When he reached the camp, the fighting was still happening. He couldn't find Hawkstar, although he did find Russetpaw and Hailpaw. Hailpaw was injured, and Russetpaw was helping him out.

"Get to the Fourtrees!" He yowled.

"Hailpaw, where is Hawkstar?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him." The tom limped across the clearing.

He ran to the medicine cat's den, and found Hollowbranch. He could slightly walk, though he was light-headed.

"Hollowbranch, where is Mistypool?" He asked the ginger tom.

"Uh, I don't, she wasn't here when they came, I think she wen to collect catmint." He answered.

"Okay, follow me, we're going to the Fourtrees." Emberpaw ordered. Hollowbranch through his arm around Emberpaw's shoulder and they began to walk.

"Russetpaw, exit through the dirt-tunnel!" He ordered entering the tunnel. It smelt foul in there, but there was no time to complain. Hollowbranch limped across the tunnel, and onto a patch of ferns. It took a while for them to reach the stream. Hollowbranch couldn't jump, so they swam across, despite the bitter coldness. The current was weak, so it wasn't very hard to swim, but keeping their paws on the ground was a difficulty.

He reached the Fourtrees, where some other warriors had fled. They were assisting the wounded ones, and the elders.

"Stay here," Emberpaw grunted as he put Hollowbranch on the ground. He ran back to the camp fatigued. The warriors were clearing up, when he heard a familiar battle cry.

"ShadowClan retreat!"

Embrpaw felt so relieved to hear those words. He ran to the High Rock and tried to find his father. He wasn't there.

"Hawkstar?" He called out. No one answered. He heard rustling behind the mastic rock, and leaped off to see what it was. He saw his father with his back faced to him, leaning over a dead body.

"Father?" He said shyly. "Who is that?"

His father sighed with grief in his eyes. "Crowfoot was killed." He whimpered.

"I-I'm sorry," Emberpaw mewed. Crowfoot was like a brother to Hawkstar. Better than his actual brother, Breezeclaw who treated him like fox-dung.

"Come," Hawksatr ordered. "We must go burry him."


	10. Chapter 9

**Welcome back Warrior Fans! This chapter may be a little sad, but not like cry-yourself-to-sleep-sad. Anywho, enjoy!**

It rained the next day, while they buried Crowfoot. As a kit, Emberpaw and Nightpaw were very close to Crowfoot, though they didn't speak much, since Crowfoot was busy being a deputy. Unlike Breezeclaw. Breezeclaw hardly ever spoke to the kits, much less his own brother. Emberpaw didn't know much, but he did know Hawkstar grew up in the shadow of Breezeclaw. And when the time came for Hawkstar to chose a deputy, he chose Crowfoot, the one that was there for him.

Emberpaw sat in the rain, his fur matted with water. Each drop that fall from the sun-ridden sky was filled with pain. Like icy claws scrapping across his fur. His father had not yet chosen a deputy yet. Breezeclaw had begun to brag, saying that it would be him. But Emberpaw had a feeling that Hawkstar would not.

Crowfoot was the only one who was killed, thankfully. But many others were injured. Training was held off, and the apprentices were forced to collect herbs and help Mistypool with them. The camp looked awful. Injured warriors lay about the camp, some being tended to, others doing the tending.

Emberpaw carried numerous herbs in his mouth, as he trotted across the camp. The rain that fell earlier, returned, this time coming down in large circular balls of hail. They moved the injured warriors into the dens, and so Emberpaw and the other apprentices had to sleep outside.

"This is ridiculous," Shredpaw grumbled as he licked the rain off of his wet fur. Even Hawkstar slept outside his den.

"Yeah, lets just hope ShadowClan doesn't come back." Emberpaw grunted, shifting his position.

"I hope not," Tinypaw commented. "I wonder why they attacked us in the first place..." Graypaw trailed off in thought. By now, Emberpaw had closed his eyes, and was beginning to fall asleep, but he picked up chatter, that made him listen.

"I heard a warrior asking for a kit," Russetpaw said.

"A kit what would they want with a kit?" Hailpaw asked.

"I'm not sure if I heard him correctly, but he was talking to a warrior about 'finding the kit and taking it.'" Usseaa explained.

"You mouse-brain, no ShadowClan cat wants anything from a ThunderClan kit!" Hailpaw hissed.

"That's what I heard," Russetpaw sighed licking his fur. "Whatever, it probably means nothing." The apprentices' chatter drifted into distant mumbles, as Emberpaw swam into thought. _Who was is this kit? What does ShadowClan want from it? And why did Mayer warn me about the attack?_

Emberpaw woke in a cold sweat. His paws were sore from the running he had done the night before, during the battle. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, for he was savoring the moment of peace before he had to go and search for herbs with the other apprentices. He opened them, but did not like what he saw. He was in the Dark Forest.

"Great," he mumbled getting off the ground.

"Mayer!" He hissed. "Where are you?!" The black tom appeared in front of him.

"You know, I was wondering wether I should com or not, I mean you did injure some of my co-workers." He hissed.

"What? I never did that!" Emberpaw objected.

"You are one clueless son of a- wait you won't get that-" he paused. "You're a mouse-brain." He stated simply.

"How?" Emberpaw growled. "Why am I even talking to you, you killed my killed my mother!" The ginger tom raised his hackles.

"And why did you warn me about ShadowClan?" He said harshly.

"Well, I do need you alive," he began. "If you're dead, you can't join with me right?"

"And about that," the tom came closer to him. "Join with me, or someone gets killed."

"You won't kill me, you need me."

"Oh, no of course not." Mayer began. "Just someone you love."

"Never," Emberpaw hissed.

"Going once," He purred. "Going twice,"

"Sorry pal," he hissed. "Sold, to the black tom!" He laughed.

Emberpaw woke for real, in a few short moments. He tried to figure out who Mayer would kill, and it finally came to him. Tinypaw. She was small and vulnerable. And Emberpaw had a thing for her. He stayed by her side the entire day. He had collected the herbs that Msitypool had used to enter his dream. Even if it wasn't at the Moon Stones, Mistypool said it might work. He hid the herbs in her fresh-kill, and she ate them up. When night time came, Emberpaw was shaking like a falling leaf.

"Hey Tinypaw, can I talk to you?" He asked the gray-and-white she-cat.

"Sure," the apprentice answered. "What do you want?"

"I-I just wanna let you know, that if I don't get the chance to tell you again, I-I," he sighed.

"I love you." Tinypaw said nothing. Instead, she stared bask into his bright green eyes.

"I love you too."

^..^

That night, Emberpaw forced himself to sleep. He had to protect Tinypaw from Mayer. He woke in the Dark Forest. Though Tinypaw wasn't with him.

"Where's Tinypaw?" He growled at Mayer.

"Well, I made a slight adjustment to her schedule." He said. "She won't die, not yet anyway."

"You were bluffing?"

"Yes, but tomorrow I won't." Mayer's eyes narrowed into slights. "Tomorrow night, someone will die, because of you."


	11. Chapter 10

The injured warriors were returning to their own nests, so the apprentices didn't have to sleep outside. It stopped raining finally, but this brought more troubles. Instead of rain, there was snow. Leaf-Bare was beginning.

"Russetpaw!" Redstripe hissed at his apprentice. "Keep your balance!"

"May I go see Mistypool?" The rusty brown tom asked.

"Why?"

"I have a stomach ache," he tom stuttered.

"Be quick," the reddish tom dismissed his apprentice.

"Emberpaw, go back to camp, and see if Hawkstar has chosen a new deputy." Redstripe told the ginger tom. Emberpaw nodded and headed back to camp. Hawkstar had still not chosen a deputy. It had been two night falls since Crowfoot's death. He had broken the warrior code, but he was still grieving. Some were afraid he would not. But Emberpaw had faith in his father.

The brown tabby leaped up on the High Rock. He cleared his throat and licked one paw swiftly.

He didn't need to gather the clan, for they had already clustered beneath him.

"I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors. May hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of ThunderClan will be Whitegorse."

Whitegorse stepped up to Hawkstar, and blushed.

"Whitegorse! Whitegorse! Whitegorse!" The clan cheered. Emberpaw wasn't very surprised. Whitegorse was an honorable and loyal warrior. He was happy though, that his mentor was the deputy. Emberpaw looked around and saw Breezeclaw. He was clearly fuming with anger. He left and headed for the warriors' den.

"I have one more announcement to make," Hawkstar hushed the clan. "Russetpaw has decided that he wants to continue his training with Mistypool, as her apprentice." Many cats looked around for the rusty brown tom. He stood with his chest filled with pride standing next to Mistypool.

"Russetpaw! Russetpaw! Russetpaw!" The Clan cheered. Emberpaw satred at his friend in shock. He was proud of him, but hedidn't understand why.

"Redstripe, has Hailpaw completed all of his training?" Hawkstar asked.

"Yes,"

"I, leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of our noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn."

"Hailpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Hailpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Hailstrike. StarClan honors your cunning and loyalty. We welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

"Hailstrike! Hailstrike! Hailstrike!"

"The Clan is dismissed." Hawkstar coughed. Other warriors gathered around Hailstrike to congratulate him. Senior warriors congratulated Whitegorse. And Emberpaw and Nightpaw congratulated Russetpaw.

"So, not that it's my business, but why did you want to be a medicine cat apprentice?" Emberpaw asked.

"I dunno. I just wasn't very good at being a warrior." The brown tabby seemed happy with himself.

"You know, you guys will be a warrior in a few days." Russetpaw said changing the topic.

"Yeah," Nightpaw said. "What do you think my warrior name will be?"

"Night…blaze?" Russetpaw suggested.

"Maybe," Nightpaw said.

"Well, I'm on a patrol, so I'll see you guys later." Emberpaw mewed. The patrol left with Hailstrike, Shredpaw and Tinypaw. They searched the border of RiverClan to see of they had returned, but they hadn't. It had started to snow on the way to the Sunning Rocks.

"Stupid snow," Shredpaw growled as he shook his pelt free of the horrid thing.

"Come on, let's get back." Hailstrike ordered. "Before my feet freeze off."

"My feet are already freezing off!" Tinypaw laughed.

"Cause you're so tiny!" Shredpaw hissed.

"No I'm not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"She's not." Hailstrike hissed at Shredpaw. "She's perfect." Tinypaw blushed and continued to follow the patrol. Emberpaw looked suspiciously at Hailstrike, but said nothing. He had never stood up for Tinypaw.

^..^

It was still snowing by the time they had reached the camp. The kits in the nursery were excited to see the white flakes falling from clouds. They danced around cheerfully, and squealed with laughter as the cold droplets touched their fur.

Emberpaw wished he could be that happy again. The Dark Forest had ruined him. Some nights he had refused to sleep. Other cats were starting ask him if he was sick. He hadn't believed them, until he looked at his own reflection in a frozen puddle. His eyes wore bags of gray rings underneath them. His ears drooped every so often, and his paws were sore and cracked. He had tried cleaning his face, but it just made him look more like a drowned rat.

He sat next to the pool of ice, staring out at the High Rock. Hawkstar had not come out of his den for a day. Emberpaw started to worry even more, when Mistypool and Russetpaw rushed into the den. Emberpaw was too tired to enter the den. It was probably just a mild cold. And Hawkstar had nine lives. How many of them he had left, Emberpaw did not know. He hoped it had been enough.

Emberpaw stared across the clearing to see Hailstrike and Tinypaw talking with each other. Emberpaw knew nothing about what they were talking about, but he didn't like it. He loved Tinypaw. He hoped that she had felt the same about him, but now Hailstrike was making his move on her.

Emberpaw refused to sleep that night again. He stood watch outside of the den, although he was sure no one would come.

He decided to speak with his father. He would know what to do. He padded across the camp sluggishly, dragging his paws across the rugged terrain.

"Father?" He growled with fatigue. "Are you in here?"

"Emberpaw?" He rasped.

"Hawkstar, are-are you okay?" Emberpaw ran over to his father. He coughed slightly and shoved the herbs that sat next to him, aside.

"Father, did Mistypool give these to you?" Emberpaw asked, sitting down beside his father.

"You look awful." Hawkstar said to the tom. "And yes," he coughed. "She did give these to me."

"Then eat them, father!" He exclaimed.

"No." Hs eyes flashed open. "Even if I do, they will not help."

"Mistypool hasn't told me, but I know I have Black-cough."


	12. Chapter 11

Emberpaw stared deep into his father's eyes. Their dark shade of green, was fading lighter in the gleam of the almost-full-moon. It was believable that his father had Black-Cough. But Emberpaw refused to believe it.

"No, it must be something else, but Father, you must eat-"

"This is no way to die, Emberpaw." Hawkstar cut off his son.

"This is no warrior's death." He rasped.

"Father, you won't die at all if you just eat the herbs that Mistypool gave you." Emberpaw felt his voice crack.

"They won't work." The brown tabby paused. "But, I'll eat them." Emberpaw felt reliefs flood through him, as his father took a bite of the small leaves that lie by his nest. He coughed as he swallowed the horrid tasting verdure.

"Emberpaw," Hawkstar wheezed. "Take me to the Sunning Rocks."

"What are you talking about?" Emberpaw gave his father an affectionate lick on the back of his neck.

"Just take me," he panted. "I need to see them before I die."

"Hawkstar, you're hallucinating, you need to get some rest."

"No!" He hissed, forcing himself into a coughing fit. "Please. Just take me." Emberpaw gazed into his father's eyes. They were drenched in sorrow, and pleaded for him to do as he asked. It was his last request. Emberpaw couldn't deny it. With a heavy heart, he stood up, and prepared to walk with Hawkstar.

"Come," he said throwing his father's arm over his shoulder. His body was achy, and hot with a fever. He was right. The herbs didn't seem to help. Slowly, they limped across the night clearing. The two had reached the Sunning Rocks just in time for Hawkstar to collapse with fatigue. The motion of his lungs moving in and out, soothed him.

"Why did you want to come here?" Emberpaw asked after a long silence.

"It's my favorite part of the territory." He said quietly, looking out at the river. The sat in eerie silence. Just staring out at the river. It's massive currents roared and surged with great force. The stones they sat on, were cool, but refreshing. The river had not yet froze, but in a few days it would. It felt like they had sat there the entire night. They may as well have. The sliver of reddish orange light at the end of the sky, warned them that dawn was coming.

"Father, we should go." Emberpaw growled at the brown tabby tom, but he just stared out at the river, like he had the entire night.

"Father," he said softly. Hawkstar looked up at his son, and nodded briefly. They walked back to camp, the same way they had walked to the Sunning Rocks. He stayed with Hawkstar in his nest, until Mistypool came in.

"Hawkstar?" She asked, through a clump of leaves.

"Did he eat his herbs?" She asked once she realized Embrroaw was there.

"Yes."

"Here," she dropped the leaves on the floor before his nest. "Eat these." Hawkstar obeyed, reluctantly, and wolfed down the poultices and leaves.

"Emberpaw, your mentor wants you." Mistypool said, ordering the ginger tom to leave the den. Emberpaw did so at once, and left to find Whitegorse.

"Whitegorse?" He called for his mentor amongst the sounds of chattering warriors. The white tom, was standing above the cats, giving out patrols. He spotted Emberpaw, and finished his orders.

"Emberpaw," he greeted his apprentice. "Your assessment is today."

"Oh, okay." Emberpaw said cooly but on the inside he was trembling with excitement.

"You will have to catch three pieces of fresh-kill before times up." Whitegorse began to pad out into the forest, with Emberpaw on his tail.

"How much time will I have?"

"Enough." They walked through the forest, until they reached the large pines near the Two-Leg Place.

"Remember, I'll be watching you, so don't do anything foolish!" Whitegorse laughed. Emberpaw giggled a little bit, but focused on his task.

^..^

The assessment went fine. He caught a rabbit, a mouse, and a fat vole. Although it was cold, it didn't snow. He returned to the camp quickly, as his feet were cold under paw. He hoped his father was okay. He had at least eaten the herbs that Mistypool had given him, and tried to get some rest, while Whitegorse instructed the Clan members.

Whitegorse had some how reached the camp before he did, and was waiting for him by the fern tunnels.

"Hey, Whitegorse." Emberpaw mewed. The white tom nodded, and signaled for him to drop his prey in the fresh-kill pile.

"So, when will I become a warrior?" Emberpaw asked Whitegorse.

"Tonight, most likely." the white tom mewed. "If your father is feeling up to it." Emberpaw worried about his father. He needed to visit him. Emberpaw excused himself, and went to see Hawkstar. Nightpaw was there, too.

"Emberpaw!" Nightpaw said clearly with relief. "Thank StarClan you've come, did you have your assessment?"

"Yes, did you?"

"Yeah," the black tom said. "Hawkstar said he needs to talk to us." Nightpaw changed the topic.

"Sons," Hawkstar said calmly. "Theres something you need to know."

"Go on." Nightpaw said anxiously.

"You should've known this a long time ago, but now that you're going to be warriors I think you're ready." The brown tom paused to cough.

"I am not your real father, and your mother was not your real mother."


	13. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! I'm back! Enjoy this chapter, although it may be short.**

The ginger tabby's entire body shook with bewilderment. Nightpaw's body did the same.

"What?!" Nightpaw said.

"I should have told you earlier, but I couldn't." Hawkstar coughed.

"Then, who are our parents?" Emberpaw asked half wanting the answer, half not wanting the answer.

"I'm not sure." He said. "We found you abandoned hiding beneath a bracken leaf covering you."

"It may have been a loner, because you had no scent of Clan on you,"

"So…so," Nightpaw trailed off. "Did you ever find the loner?"

"No." Hawkstar answered. "So, why didn't you have kits of your own?" Emberpaw asked.

"We had tried." He started. "But your mother couldn't become pregnant." Emberpaw had no idea what to say. Enormous claws of negligence scraped his feet. He tried to shake them off, but they continued up his legs, reaching his heart, and filling him with despair.

"I'm sorry boys." Emberpaw could tell, too, was said. "But you had to know before I die."

"Father, you won't die." Nightpaw encouraged. "Not on my watch."

^..^

The rest of the day, Emberpaw just wanted to be left alone. Tinypaw brought him fresh-kill, but he didn't eat. He liked her courtesy, but he felt betrayed by her. She was acting too friendly with Hailstrike. And Emberpaw didn't like it.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Rock for a Clan Meeting!" Hawkstar hissed, and went on coughing. The cats lingered below the High rock waiting for Hawkstar to begin. Emberpaw remembered, that his warrior ceremony was that day, and he jumped up and ran out side.

"Emberpaw and Nightpaw have completed their warrior training." He explained.

"Emberpaw, please step forward." Hawkstar ordered the ginger tabby.

"I leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to know the ways of your noble code, and I commend him as a warrior in his turn."

"Emberpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend ThunderClan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Emberpaw said weakly.

"Than by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Emberpaw, from now on you shall be known as Emberheart." He paused. "StarClan honors your bravery, and strength,and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan." Emberheart nodded proudly. Before he left, Hawkstar brief him a brief smile.

"Nightpaw, please step forward." The black tom bounded up to the center of the clearing.

"I, Leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to know the ways of your noble cod, and I commend him as a warrior in his turn."

"Nightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend ThunderClan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Nightpaw from this moment on, you shall be known as Nightstorm. StarClan honors your kindness and agility, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

"Nightstorm! Emberheart! Nightstorm! Emberheart!" The clan cheered. Hawkstar leaped down from the High Rock, and went into his den.

"Congrats!" A familiar voice greeted him. It was Whitegorse.

"Thanks, Whitegorse." He said glumly. "What's the matter?" The white tom asked.

"Nothing, I just have a terrible belly ache." He lied. "You should go see Mistypool." Whitegorse suggested.

"Naw, she's working on Hawkstar." Emberheart mewed.

"Well, go enjoy yourself before you have to sit vigil!" Whitegorse laughed.

^..^

It snowed heavily during Emberheart's vigil. He sat quietly next to his brother, but who know? It might not have even been his brother. If his mother wasn't his mother, and his father wasn't his father, maybe Nightstorm wasn't his brother. Even if he wasn't, he was the closest thing he had to a brother.

The morning brought more troubles. Hawkstar became even more sick, so Whitegrose took over for the day. Emberheart went on a patrol with a few other warriors to the ShadowClan border. There was no sign of them. However, there was an unusual scent on fox, which they didn't find. The trail lead to a pile of fox-dung, but nothing more.

Considering it was his first day as a warrior, he didn't have much fun. He couldn't stop thinking about what Hawkstar had told him. Who were his real parents? And why would they leave him? _Maybe I was a burden. Maybe, they knew about my connection with the Dark Forest. _Emberheart thought. He tried to remember when he was a kit, but he had drawn himself to a blank.

"Emberheart?" A friendly voice greeted him. "Are you okay?" It was Nightstorm.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" He asked his brother.

"You look sick." Nightstorm said shyly. Emberheart ignored him, and licked his face clean.

"If there's something going on you can tell me." the black tom said.

"It's just- this whole thing has ruined me." Emberheart mewed. "I want to know our real parents."

"I know," Nightstorm gave him an affectionate lick on the shoulder. "Me too." The two stared across the clearing, clearly deep in thought. Emberheart was depressed, and felt very sick. Not an illness of the body, but of the mind.

A loud yowl interrupted his thoughts, and he jumped up. Nightstorm and a few other warriors heard the scream, and also jumped up.

"What was that?" Someone asked. Mistypool came running out of the High Rock. She ran straight into her den. Emberheart couldn't see her face, but he could tell something was wrong. Russetpaw ran out of her den, as he walked up to Emberheart.

"Emberheart." The rust tom's voice cracked. "Your father is dead."


	14. Chapter 13

**What up home-slices! I'm gonna warn you guys, this chapter will be a little confusing. Let me rephrase that: very confusing. But, you guys are smart so you might get it. And, it will be a cliff-hanger, and it will be explained in a few more chapters!**

A brown tabby she-cat with a belly swollen with kits, padded across a bedding of hay, as another ginger tabby joined her. The tabby stared at him, as he stared at her with affection. She purred at the site of him, and he purred with her. Without saying a word to each other, they sank into harmony, sitting by each other and sharing tongues.

"So, Hazel." The orange tom began. "I've been doing some thinking, and I think the cats should go the Clans." He said.

"What?" She hissed. "Are you crazy, Atlas?" Atlas, was a broad-shouldered tom, and he wanted nothing more than to make his mate happy, but he strongly believed that his kits should join the wild forest cats.

"Well, of course not." He comforted her. "But don't you think it would be better for them to be warriors? To grow up like heroes?" He licked his paw swiftly.

"I think it would be better if they grew up with their mother, where they can live in a safe place!" Hazel hissed at him.

"Okay," Atlas agreed reluctantly.

"So, what should we name them?" He asked.

"I don't know," the tabby said. "It depends on what they look like."

^..^

The two cats continued to chat with each other, and make preparations for when their kits came. The two-leg that lived in the horse-place, stopped by to feed her horses, but they didn't mind. She was a young friendly girl, who would sometimes stroke their ears and pet them if they were around. But this time, the two cats were in the loft when she had fed the mares, and she did not see them.

The ginger tom, and the brown tabby had just finished making a birthing nest for Hazel, when the sun dipped below the trees. They slept close to each other, though there were no dangers in their serene barn life. The small brown tabby had just closed her hazel eyes, when the moon awakened.

It only seemed like she was asleep for a few moments, when Atlas' paw was prodding at her side.

"Stop." She grumbled, keeping her eyes closed. "Just a few more minutes." The prodding stopped, and she wondered if she would go back to sleep. She couldn't hear Atlas say anything else, or do anything else for that matter.

"Atlas?" She opened one eye to peek at the light of dawn. But she didn't see it. Instead, she was in a forest. A very old one, with no sun.

"Atlas?!" She panicked, not seeing her mate beside her. The clearing that she was in was covered in bones of numerous creatures, and many mangled feathers, from long dead birds. The trees around her, weren't the ones she had seen by the horse-place. These had barely any leaves, and felt very sick. No creatures were there. Not even a simple beetle crawling across a decaying leaf.

"Hello?" She called into the forest. Her voice echoed through every inch of the forest, sending the sound straight back to her ears. She felt a dark presence looming above her. There was a dark shadow, shifting through the branches, falling into the ground, where it seemed to disintegrate into ashes.

"Death will come to all." Something said. She couldn't exactly tell what it was, but the horrendous sound made her hackles raise. She stepped back, as her eyes shifted into huge circle shapes, as she became frightened from it's very existence.

"A war will rage. The son that you bare, will bring death upon the forest." Thousands of cats with starry pelts burst through the forest. She started to run from them as they ran towards her, but they reached her too quickly. Hazel braced for the impact, but felt nothing. The cats were simply walking pieces of fog. They collided with another group of cats, these ones had true hatred in their eyes. The group of evil cats clashed with the others, and slaughtered them. Hazel could do nothing but watch the battle unfold. The bloodshed was unbearable, and soon, the cats were dead. Only the abominations, the savages, were left.

The brown tabby quickly felt herself in a pile of fear. She sank into it like a pool of sand. She tried to shake her feet free of the horrid sticky sand, but she wouldn't budge. She was trapped in her own fear.

A black tom cat with a white chest and paws padded up to Hazel. She hissed at him, and prepared to fight.

"Don't be shy," he said. His accent was strange, one that Hazel had never heard before. "It will be over soon." As he spoke, her pounced on her with great force.

The brown tabby flitted her eyes open. Atlas was asleep beside her, and snoring away happily. She realized she was shaking, and every hair on her pelt stood on end.

"It was just a dream." She told herself quietly. Hazel stretched and padded down the narrow ladder leading to the loft. There were a few chickens out and about, clucking away. She was tempted to catch one, but she had never eaten a chicken before. Besides, they would run away from her too easily.

She walked past the chickens with ease, thought they stepped away from her, and walked in the other direction. The brown tabby staggered up to a bucket of rain-water, and stared at her reflection. It was the same as yesterday, but she noticed something different. As if her dream were real, she looked evil. She blinked, and the savage hidden in her eyes disappeared.

For the next few days, she continually thought about her dream. It was actually a nightmare, but it was so strange. There wasn't a day that she didn't think about it. _What if it was real?_


	15. Chapter 14

**Happy Birthday! Just kidding, its not my B-day, but it's someone's B-day! So, happy birthday someone! Okay, on with the story!**

"Father!" Nightstorm yowled darting for the leader's den. Emberheart did nothing. He slowly got up, with his paws trembling. Russetpaw tried to stop him, but he shoved him out of the way.

With an achy heart, his feet swept him along the ground, following Nightstorm. The black tom disappeared beneath the High Rock. Nightstorm began to wail, pressing his muzzle into the fur of his dead father. Emberheart felt his legs give out beneath him, as he sat beside the brown limp tabby.

_No! Father, please don't die! Not so soon after Mother! Please! Don't leave us! _He thought staring into his father's once-living eyes. Instead of their usual deep blue shade, they were clouded with white, filled with death. His body temperature was still hot with fever. It must have burned him up.

Mistypool was upset as well. She was good friends with Hawkstar, when they were growing up. In fact, they were technically cousins.

Emberheart could not face his father. When he looked at him he choked up. Russetpaw came to give them herbs, for the shock. But they did not eat them.

"He was so stubborn," Emberheart chuckled, though he sniffed in despair. "He wouldn't eat those stupid herbs," He had tried to make Nightstorm happy, but he went on sobbing.

Whitegorse came in, and sat beside the two warriors, though they weren't really warriors. They were kits. Kits with a missing father. Kits, with no one but each other.

^..^

Whitegorse had traveled to the Moonstone soon after they buried his body. Emberheart spent the rest of his day alone. Nightstorm went hunting, but he knew the black tom wasn't really hunting. Tinypaw tried to comfort him. But he could not be comforted.

He was trapped in a river of ice water, waiting for the water to freeze over completely, and for it to be over quickly. But it didn't freeze. The river trapped him, in torment. Those that tried to help him, were simply dangling a spark of fire over his head, as if to melt the ice. But the spark was just a flare. Just a tease. Giving him false hope. He could never leave that river, the only thing he could hope for, was for the rapids the freeze.

Through his agony he could see a haze of silver-and white, coming towards him. He was dimmed with exhaustion, as Tinypaw, came and sat beside him. He didn't turn to face her, though, she had faced him. He had mixed feelings about the small she-cat. As soon as he set eyes on her, he was in love with her. But did she think the same about him? It seemed like it at first, but now, she had become more-than-friends with Hailstrike. The beige tom was okay, but he had started to be with Tinypaw more often.

"You should eat your herbs," she suggested. Emberheart said nothing.

"I'm serious, it will help, you just need time-"

"You know, what do you know? You have a perfect life, you've never experienced pain or heartbreak!So, you can shut up, and let me die!" He hissed. The ginger tom fell down, enclosing his head within his paws, to shelter his saddened face. Tinypaw left him, and he was truly, alone.

Sleep didn't come so easily, even with his fatigued mind. He had given up his sleep resistance, even when Mayer would visit him each night. But when he finally did sleep, the the black-and-white tom, had suck into his dreams. This time, he had appeared right in front of him, with no fear.

Emberheart didn't hesitate. He leapt right for the tom, trying to claw his eyes out. Instead, he fell to the ground, with a cloud of dust. Mayer had disappeared.

"Where are you?!" He hissed.

"It's finally so nice to talk to you as a warrior," the black tom appeared in front of him.

"You killed my father!" He launched at him. "You killed my mother!" He swept his claws across his face. "I hope you will live their pain of death ten times that amount each day!" the ginger warrior clawed his eyes, scraping blood across them.

"Wait! Stop!" The tom cried. Emberheart stopped his beating, for the tom to step back. He coughed up blood onto his paws, and scraped them across the clearing, smearing his blood in the dust.

"What is it with you animals!" He hissed. "Alright, I'm here to play a simple game with you," he explained.

"Do you think this is a joke?!"

"Well, no. But I do have a game for you." He hissed. "Will you play along?" The orange tabby said nothing.

"Well, too bad." He said. "You don't have a choice."

"Okay, first question!" Mayer walked over to him and came close to his ear. "Who will I kill next?"

"You won't hurt anyone!" He hissed. "I should be ripping your arms off!"

"So, feisty. But, I'll be nice, and give you a hint." the tom paused. "It's a she-cat."


	16. Chapter 15

The brown tabby knew her kits would be coming soon. Possibly a few days, maybe less. And she and Atlas had prepared for their birth. The orange tom, was purring delightfully, as the young girl scratched the fur between his ears. Hazel sat on the other side of the barn away from the girl. She knew that she was harmless, but she was still very protective of her unborn kits.

She left to feed her horses soon after that, leaving the two alone. Hazel said nothing to her mate, though she rubbed her muzzle against his pelt with affection. He, too started to purr with her, as they stared out into the marshlands ahead of them.

The small barn had only two stories, though it was very visible. The Clan cats could probably see them. However, it didn't worry Hazel. She had never met any Clan cats, nor did she want to. They kept to their territory, she kept to hers.

Staring across the flat plains, she spotted a cat, one with dark gray fur, staring right at her. It was soon joined with a few other cats all staring at her. It scared her. She backed away, into the loft avoiding the fierce gaze of the Forest cats.

In her sleep, the dark tabby dreamt of a forest. A different forest she had been in a few days ago. This one, was beautiful. The trees had buds sprouting from them, and birds tweeting about.

"H-Hello?" She called out. A dark figure passed by the trees around her.

"Hazel," a come voice said. The she-cat turned around to see a tan-and-white tom with blue eyes staring at her.

"Who are you?" She asked. "I'm Timberstorm." He said "And I have a message for you."

"Are you a Clan cat?" She asked Timberstorm. "Yes." He answered.

"I was. But now I am dead." Timberstorm saw the strange look on Hazel's face, and said "I'm from StarClan. It is where cats go when they die."

"Am I dead?" The dark tabby shook with fear. "No, you are simply in a dream."

"So, what was the message?" She asked after a long silence. "A few nights ago, you had a dream. A very vivid one, in the Dark Forest."

"Yes, I did, but what is the Dark Forest?" Hazel realized she was asking many questions. "If, a cat lives a life of evil, and hatred." He gulped. "They suffer in the Dark Forest. Forever."

"So, I was in the Dark Forest? How? I haven't done anything wrong?" She pleaded.

"No. You have not." Timberstorm mewed. "You were not there. It was simply a dream, that was granted to you as a warning. A warning to what will come, of your unborn son."

"What will he do?" She asked nervously. "He can set the Dark Forest free. If he chooses."

Hazel thought about what he had said. These Dark Forest cats didn't seem friendly. How could her son set them free?

"What do I have to do?" She asked. "You must move. Far far away. Away from the Clans, away from your barn, away from any cat there has ever been known." Timberstorm mewed. "And there, you must raise your kits."

"Can Atlas come with me?" She asked, wondering about her mate.

"Yes, but no one else."

"But beware." He began. "ShadowClan will try to take them from you," he said.

"ShadowClan is evil?" She asked.

"No, in fact I was from ShadowClan" he looked offended. "There are misguided. Snakestar, their leader has been corrupted by his obsession with… taking over the Clans. And he turns to the Dark Forest for help."

"You must leave as soon as possible. There is a mountain range with a large lake, and plenty of fresh-kill. And no cats. It is a moons walk from here"

"So, how will I know where to go?"

"StarClan will light your path."

^..^

The she-cat woke with heavy breathing, and turned to her mate, who was already awake.

"Atlas!" She hissed.

"Yeah?" He turned to face her. "We have to leave." She said.

"What do you mean?" The orange tom asked. "We must leave far away from any of these Clan cats."

"Hazel, come down, the Clan cats won't hurt us," he said trying to calm her.

"I was visited by StarClan," she began. "What's StarClan?" He asked bringing her a mouse.

"I-I don't know, I guess it's like, where you go when you die…" she said realizing how ridiculous she sounded.

"Hazel, those Clan cats have left us alone our entire lives, why would they come for us now?" Atlas said dropping the mouse at her feet.

"I'm telling you, the truth, can you just hear me out?" She begged.

"Okay," the ginger tom sat beside her. She began to explain her dream, from start to finish, not missing a detail. Everything that Timberstorm had told her, she repeated to her mate.

"So, how do you know it wasn't a crazy dream?" He asked. "I know." She answered.

"Please, it's for the sake of our kits," Atlas had a hard look on his face.

"Okay," he said reluctantly. "But I' only doing this for your safety," he said.

"Yes, I know." She began.

"So, StarClan will lead us?"

"Yes, but we should gather as much fresh-kill as we can carry, and hit the road."

The he two spent the next day hunting for fresh kill. They had gotten large leaves for storage, and a cat named Amber, told them about a herb that could help them go a few days without food. Amber used to be a Clan cat, but she figured she wasn't suited for their life. Most said she was just a 'crazy old cat' but her company was enjoyed.

"Ready to go?" Atlas asked. The brown tabby looked back at her barn. She grew up in the place, and it wouldn't be easy to leave. Hazel turned back sat Atlas, when she felt a sharp pain in her belly. She knew what was happening. Her kits were coming.


	17. Chapter 16

Emberheart woke immediately. It was still night. He looked around the den, seeing that the others were asleep. He bounded out of the den, and into the apprentices' den.

"Tinypaw!" He hissed. He pressed his muzzle against her soft fur. "Please, don't leave me," he begged. Was she dead?

"I'm sorry," he cried. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"I love you,"

The tiny she-cat didn't move. How many more people had to die because of him?

"Emberheart, what are you doing?" Someone asked. The ginger tom turned to see Tinypaw, staring at him like he was a flying hedgehog.

"Wh-what? You're alive?" He purred. "Um, should I be dead?" She asked.

"No, no of course not. Just please, don't go to sleep." he begged. "Emberheart, it's the middle of the night, and I have my warrior ceremony tomorrow, so-"

"No, please, please don't," he urged.

"Okay, but why?"

"Because I love you," he said.

"Emberheart, you're crazy." She said. "But I love you too."

^..^

Graypaw and Shredpaw gave Emberheart strange looks in the morning, but they had said nothing. Tinypaw was still awake, but she was very tired.

"Can I go to sleep now?" She grumbled. "No," he hissed. "It's for your own sake. And it's morning anyway." The gray and white she-cat got up and stretched.

"Come on, my ceremony is today," she urged. The two walked out of the den, looking very sloppy, from their loss of sleep.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!" White star hissed. He needed to chose his deputy.

"I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors, may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of ThunderClan, will be Redstripe."

"Redstripe! Redstripe! Redstripe!" The Clan cheered. The ginger tom, dipped his head in embarrassment.

"Tinypaw, Shredpaw, and Graypaw have completed their warrior training," Whitestar announced.

"Shredpaw, please step forward." The little tabby leaped forward.

"I, Whitestar, leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code. I commend him as a warrior to you in his turn."

"Shredpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," the tom said.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment on, you shall be known as Shredclaw. StarClan honors your strength, and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

"Graypaw, come forward." Whitestar ordered.

"I Whitestar leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him as a warrior to you in his turn."

"Graypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do,"

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Graypaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Graytail. StarClan honors your bravery, and empathy, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

The large gray tom stepped back, and dipped his head humbly.

"Tinypaw, please come forward." Whitestar mewed. The little gray and white she-cat bounded up with pride, though she was nervous.

"Tinypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." She answered solemnly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Tinypaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Tinyfern. StarClan honors your resilience, and forgiveness, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

"Shredclaw! Graytail! Tinyfern! Graytail! Shredclaw! Tinyfern!" The clan cheered with joy.

Wmberheart smiled, knowing that his friend was now a warrior with him. He wondered if he should ask to be mates with her. Then he remembered. If she wasn't the she-cat to die, than who was? He was glad it wasn't her, but it still rose a sticky question. Who died?

He looked around, searching for anyone missing. He didn't spot Russetpaw, but he went to the Highstones to receive his medicine cat name. He bounded into the medicine cat's den, and gasped with shock.

"Mistypool!" He screeched and ran to her side. The small gray figure was limp, with blood pooled around her neck. She had a few other scratches, but the one that killed her was around her neck. He knew what killed her. He knew what he had to do.


	18. Chapter 17

**Before, I start, I have to say. This chapter will be super short, so I'm really sorry.**

Hazel gasped with pain as the first kit slid out. Between her exhaustion she looked down at the kit, as Atlas began to lick it. "It's a tom!" He purred. She smiled as her heart broke for her first son. Her face tightened with agony, and her stomach contracted. "You're doing great Hazel," Atlas encouraged. She pushed with all her might, and a little black tom slid out. "It another tom!" He squealed. She finally got a good look at them. The first was a large ginger tom, and the second was a smaller black one. Atlas nudged them towards their mother as they began to suckle from her. She licked their heads, before drifting off to sleep.

"Hazel!" Atlas's words were blurred. "Hazel, wake up!" He hissed. She opened her eyes, dazed, and stared at her mate. He grabbed the first kit who began to squeal, as his fur met to cold world.

"Hurry! They're coming we must go!" Hazel jumped up, and grabbed her second-born kit. Her head pounded, back she looked at cats rushing towards her, out of the Forest, and ran. Atlas was behind her, but he soon sped up. "Hand me the kit!" He shouted. Hazel dropped him gently, and Atlas picked him up. "His name is Adam," she blurted out. She had decided their names, while she slept. "The other one is Ben," she continue to run. The cats were gaining on them.

"Here," Atlas gave her the kits, and picked up a clump of leaves instead. "I'll distract them," he explained, and ran towards the cats. Hazel did t look back. She came to a thick stretch of road, leading to a pile of stones. She looked both ways before darting across the hot pavement. She came to another set of Forests, and doubted she would meet friends there.

The cats were hot on her heels, and she ran into a shallow creek. She cringed at the coldness, but didn't hesitate.

She did everything in her power to escape, but she couldn't. Where was StarClan now? They had abandoned her. Perhaps they weren't even real. Perhaps she was all alone, and she didn't want to die, but she would for the sake of her kits. She would die a thousand times more for them, and wouldn't doubt it at all.


End file.
